How to start in this personal finance game?

I asked myself this question 4 years ago when I had worked for 5 years with a relatively high-paying job. However, I had nothing to show for because I was literally not sure where my money had gone. It was a state of confusion and self-shame.

In the past 4 years, I read books, listened to podcasts, and practiced various personal finance methods. Now, I could say that I have made a significant milestone in my personal finance journey.

I am a relatively low-key guy, do not spend much, and do not have a family yet. I can retire today based on the 4% rule and am confident that my money will only keep growing.

My 9-5 job is a product manager in tech. As I make progress for myself, I increasingly feel the inner call that I shall step up and build a product that can help much more people like me in a more simple way. That’s why I launched this website - One Finance, with the mission that one day, financial knowledge will be common and taken for granted for everyone, and no one will be stressed or shamed about money. At the end of day, we do not live for money, but live to feel purposeful and hopefully happy.

I am excited to see how One Finance will be, but as long as I can help one person, it is worth the full efforts. I will share more on this blog and various social media (e.g. TikTok). For today as a start, below are four things that have helped me.

• Save more than 50% of my gross income.

• Eliminate debts except for mortgage.

• Invest every single month, consistently.

• Maximize tax benefits from 401K and IRAs.

Simple but not easy. Time is on your side, but they can easily slip away.

If you have to start one thing right now, I recommend calculating your net worth (assets - debts). Knowing where you are might shock you in a discouraging or encouraging manner, but it will the foundation.

More to come!